


The Girl Who Cried Wolf

by 60secondstopain



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Fluff, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Polyamory, Slow Burn, Werewolf, Werewolf Original Character, just a couple idiots being idiots, more tags will added, well at least I'm trying to make it slow burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-15
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:53:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 15,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28098735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/60secondstopain/pseuds/60secondstopain
Summary: Riley Roberts is a werewolf. After the attack on New York, she became an Avenger. Whilst saving the world one battle at a time, Riley has to fight her own battle. Her wolf won't let her forget the two men who she fights besides and calls friends. How will this play out for her?
Relationships: Bruce Banner/Original Female Character, Tony Stark/Original Female Character, tony stark/original female character/bruce banner
Comments: 4
Kudos: 21





	1. Prologue

* * *

“Riley Roberts. The date is June twelfth, two thousand and six. Full moon is tonight. I’ve moved to the cellar in Granddad Robert’s home. No one is within miles of the house. Granddad is with Mom in London.” The short haired woman spoke into the camera. Her eyes complete opposites of one another. The left being her born brown, whilst her right was the unnatural amber that has changed her life. Taking a step back from the camera revealed her to be in a sports bra and basketball shorts. Thin waisted, short haired brunette that looked as though she had not slept for days. Turning to grab at the bag just out of frame also revealed the three large scars that engulfed her back. The scarring an ugly purple and green against her pale skin. They were still quite fresh.

Pulling the bag into frame, the metallic clack is loud as she pulls out chains.

“All the chains weigh enough to take down a bear. Guy at the shop was pleasantly surprised I could move them.” The humour was dry as she spoke. Moving to the first hoop on the floor, it was a recent addition to the basement. Clicking the first chain into place, she moves to the second and repeats her actions. Doing the same for the third and fourth.

“There’ll be a chain for each of my arms and legs.” Riley then proceeds to link the chains around each of her arms and legs as stated. Hissing and panting as she did.

“The chains are lined with silver.” She pants as she looks at the camera.

“Should weaken me a little.” Tears were brimming in her eyes as she settled herself in the centre with the bag. She pulls out two metal bracelets, both were silver with the engraving ‘miss you always on them’.

“Good thing Nan gave me these before she died.” Riley’s humour is dry again as she slips the bracelets onto her wrists. Hissing as her skin begins to burn under their frames. She quickly discards the bag across the basement and settles herself in the centre of the room again – gripping the chains that bound her with an iron grip.

More time passes of Riley breathing heavily and willing herself not to cry. Then she suddenly launches herself to the floor as she screams. Gripping her head, her arms straining against the chains that she is bound to. Her screams are blood curdling. Her body is shaking and sweat is protruding from every place possible on her body. Throwing her head back as she falls down to all fours, a howl rips through her throat. Loud and coarse. Her arms snap and her spine jolts as her bones begin to shift and break into their new forced positions. She begins to grow in size, hair spouting from beneath her skin. More bones break.

In the centre of the basement stands an eight foot wolf on all fours. 


	2. ONE

* * *

Riley groaned as she woke up. The familiar aching and exhaustion that would accompany her the first day from a full moon already had it’s horrid hold on her. Her head pounded as the blood rushed past her ears. Her back was cold, goosebumps shook over her skin as she blinked her eyes open. It was dark. The light must have blown out.

**_Shift._ **

Riley groans again as she slowly sits up. Nude as the day she was born. She puts her right hand against her temple as the pounding doesn’t fade. The scrapping of the chains against the floor make her look down at her wrists and ankles. The burning from the silver had numbed out, her skin beneath it charred and scabbing over.

**_Burning._ **

Standing on shaking legs, Riley walks forward a few steps coming to a stop at the bag that had been hidden away behind the panel in the wall. Pulling out the key that unlocked her cuffs, she relieved herself of them. Hissing through her teeth as the skin began to slowly nit itself together. She then pulled the blanket out from the bag and wrapped herself within it. Nuzzling the soft cotton and sighing at the warmth it brought.

“Jarvis.” Riley calls out as she sits huddled in her blanket.

“Yes Miss Roberts.” Came the quick response of the loyal AI.

“Can you get the message to Nat?”

“Right away.”

Riley was sat in the basement of the Avenger’s tower, the place she had found sanctuary within alongside the others. Riley was a werewolf, forced every full moon to shift and give all control to the wolf that lingered within. She had been found by S.H.I.E.L.D shortly after the attack that made her what she is today. They had promised to find a cure for her – _yeah fucking right_.

There never was a cure.

Riley was trained to become an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D but when it became clear that she was wasted as only an agent, Fury put her on the list of supers that would become part of the Avenger’s. When Loki came with his threats against mankind and bringing an alien army, Riley was pulled from her isolation in Scotland – where she had decided to place herself to keep everyone safe from herself.

She met Natasha first – she was the one that Fury sent to recruit Riley. It had been the morning after a full moon too. Nat finding Riley in the woods and handing her a pair of clothes and offering to let her sleep on the flight to the Helicarrier. Nat would become the person to come to Riley the morning following a full moon, bringing clothes and food. It worked best as Riley would be naked – she preferred not having any of the men seeing her in this state.

She met Steve on the Helicarrier, he introduced himself with an old charm that made Riley smile, reminding her of her grandfather. She’d read about Steve and his work in the war and purposely held her tongue on asking him how it felt to be a popsicle. But otherwise Riley got along with Steve. Now she was one of the people he trusted with anything – mostly asking for her help with all the new technology he had to navigate.

Meeting Bruce was a strange experience for Riley. She had already been on edge from the full moon but meeting him and shaking his hand spurred her wolf to keep biting at her heels. Her wolf was not relenting neither. Riley found herself lingering around him when he went to the labs to begin his search. She didn’t understand any of the things that he said as he analysed data from one of the many screens in the room. But her wolf was almost purring whenever he spoke to her. It was weird.

Then she met Tony and again, her wolf was going mad. He had strolled onto the main deck and Riley found her attention was owned by him. Her wolf was howling, acting like a bitch in heat because of these two men. She stayed around them in the labs. Letting Tony play a million questions about how she changes into a wolf, how someone becomes a wolf – he adopted a nickname that tore a growl out of Riley too. Bruce had asked questions too, but Riley found that they shared a similarity in the fact they both felt like monsters.

When the attack began in the Helicarrier, Riley had fallen with Nat and Bruce into the lower decks. Riley was forced to shift and keep Hulk at bay – although her wolf was growling in warning not to harm him. But she had to keep Hulk from harming anyone and from tearing the place apart. Riley felt she was doing a good job until Thor stuck his nose in it.

When the announcement of Coulson’s death hit them all, Riley had found herself a change of clothes and went to mourn the loss of a friend. Riley had almost been compelled to seek out Tony in this time, but she kept her distance as she also worried for Bruce’s safety – after all he had jumped off the Helicarrier and plummeted to the earth wrecking a fighter jet.

The battle on New York had been a long and tiring fight. Riley helped where she could in her human form but again shifted to fight back against the Chitauri. Watching Tony fly the nuke through the portal had been a nerve wrecking experience. Seeing him free fall from the portal before it closed was even worst – that was before Hulk caught him. After his face plate had been ripped from his armour, Riley had nudged her nose against his face, whimpering, whilst Hulk roared and startled the man back awake. Tony and Riley hadn’t spoke about the closeness of the pair and the hand that Tony kept on her when he had spoke to everyone else.

Riley hadn’t spoken to either of the men about her wolf’s strange reaction to them. But it had become a frequent thing for Riley seeking them out just to keep her wolf quiet enough that she could hear her own thoughts.

The elevator doors opened and Nat entered holding clothes. She took in Riley sat huddled in her blanket, her short locks ruffled and sticking up in weird angles. Her opposing eyes looked up at her with assurance that it was over. Though there was an angry fleck within the amber one, Riley’s brown eye remained as she felt, tired.

“Welcome back.” She greeted Riley.

“Was it bad?” Riley asked as she stood onto shaky legs again.

“Jarvis’ reports were normal, nothing unusual.” Nat handed Riley the clothes and she started to pull them on. “Feeling okay?”

“Besides hunger, I could use with a nap.” Riley huffs as she pulls on the baggy hoodie over her head. The bottoms were slightly less baggy but comfortable.

“Well then let’s go eat.” Riley smiles at Nat’s words as she stuffs the blanket back into the bag and places it behind the panel again, ready for the next full moon.

They entered the elevator and were taken up to the floor where the Pit was located. The living area that they all shared and entertained themselves whenever they were free from saving the world. Tony had gone through a lot of trouble to get anything and everything that everyone wanted. Riley’s only request had been for beanbags.

_“Beanbags?”_

_“Yup.”_

_“I’m literally offering you anything. Name it and I’ll bring it in.”_

_“Beanbags.”_

Riley smiles at the thought of Tony trying to convince her to have literally _anything_ else and how he was determined for weeks with that. But the beanbags were great idea – even if Tony is reluctant to admit that he likes them too. If Riley is lucky enough to find Tony on one when he thinks no one is around, she makes sure to snap a picture as evidence.

Hell, Riley had even convinced Bruce to sit on them with her one night. Riley had been trying to relax the night after a full moon and Bruce entered the Pit, offering one of his herbal teas and Riley got the idea for him to stick around – seeming that her wolf was just howling with joy that he was there.

_“Aren’t these bad for your posture?”_

_“If you’re like sixty, maybe.”_

_“I should get back to Tony in the lab, before he blows something up.”_

_“Just five minutes, please?”_

Those five minutes tried into the pair sitting together all night watching TV and discussing one another’s isolation from the world before they joined the Avenger’s.

“Where is everyone?” Riley asks, the two women walking over to the kitchen area. The emptiness of the Pit was a little unsettling. Riley almost missed Clint’s raging at a videogame or Steve’s musings at the use of a blender.

“Bruce and Tony are in the lab.” Nat smirks. If looks could kill then Nat would be ten feet under.

“Funny.” Riley scoffs, opening the fridge and pondering through her options. _Hmm, chicken and Nutella_. Riley pulled the leftovers from chicken last night and then the litre tub of Nutella – a gift off Tony for eating the last of her pop tarts.

“You need a healthier diet.” Nat scolds as she sits at the kitchen island. Riley searches the drawers for a spoon and then begins to pig out on the chocolate goodness. Moaning when the spoon touches her tongue.

“You try dealing with an eight foot wolf with the eating habits of a pregnant lady.” Riley speaks around a mouth full of Nutella and then a piece of chicken. Natasha grimaces at her friend as she eats like a pig. Riley pauses as she holds a slice of chicken to her mouth and looks at Nat.

“What?” She asks Nat.

“You’re gross.”

“Thanks.”

Riley then eats the slice of chicken as they sit in silence again.

“Talk to them.”

“Nope.” Riley drops her spoon in the sink and closes the lid to the Nutella.

“I don’t see why not.” Nat crosses her arms on the countertop as she lean forward.

“I’ll give you several reasons. Hell, here’s a list.” Riley slams the fridge shut after returning the Nutella back to its place and then holds up one finger.

“First we have the main factor, neither of them know about it.” Another finger. “Pretty sure Stark only just recently got dumped by Pepper.” Another finger. “Banner can’t even have relationships cause of his fear of the other guy.” Another finger. “I’m too chicken shit to consider what those feelings meant.”

**_Need._**

Riley shakes her head, a small growl ripping through her throat to clear herself of the voice ringing through it. Nat just grins.

“One step at time.” Nat taps Riley on the arm before she stands and wanders off toward the elevator.

_“I’d suggest a shower first, you look like shit.”_


	3. TWO

* * *

Riley walked out of her bathroom, a towel wrapped around her and using a small towel to dry her hair. Just like the rest of the team, Riley had her own room with a bathroom – hell the tub was bigger than her old cabin all together.

“Jarvis?” Riley calls out as she picks up her clothes from the chair at the desk beside the bathroom. 

“Already beginning your playlist.” The oh so loyal AI responds, filling the room with the soothing music from Riley’s full moon playlist. A mix of modern and classic music – some of it not even in English – that seems to appease her wolf into letting her stay human. Riley dries the rest of herself before slipping into her underwear. She contemplates the hoodie for a moment after she had put the bottoms back on. Natasha had a thing of bringing her clothing that she doesn’t recognise – probably just grabbing what she can before she comes down to check on the younger woman.

But this hoodie was peculiar to Riley. There was a scent to it, musky but sweet. Mint but honeycomb. It was a scent she nuzzled her nose into the cotton for. The smell calming the wolf as she inhaled it. So wearing it wasn’t completely out of the question. But as she slid it over her head again, she wondered who it belonged to originally.

“Miss Roberts, your presence is being highly requested down in the labs.” Jarvis’ voice pulls Riley out of her small trance with the scent.

“Jesus, what did they break now?” Riley huffs, picking her phone up from the bedside table. The screen showing the numerous missed calls from both her mother and her sister, followed by six text messages – Riley would have to call them back later. That or risk them flying over to her and then having to worry about them being seen anywhere near the tower.

The elevator doors opened on the laboratory floor and Riley stepped out, being met with the sight of Tony and Bruce on the far side by Tony’s suits. Tony is the first to notice the woman’s appearance and claps his hands as he makes his way over to her.

“Finally, took your time little wolf.” Tony spoke, coming to a stop in front of Riley. Who was taking in his ruffled hair, ACDC shirt and jeans before she could fully process what was going on.

“What was so urgent that you needed me now?” Riley asked, crossing her arms over her chest. Tony opened his mouth to speak before doing a double take looking down at the grey material that covered Riley’s torso.

“Is that my old hoodie?”

_I’m so going to kill you Natasha._

“Nat brought it down to me. Must have been lying around when she picked it up.” Riley lied effortlessly. If Tony knew that of course it hadn’t been laying around, because the man keeps his personal items away from the common areas, he didn’t say anything.

“Tony!” Came the groan from Bruce. Riley looked past Tony to see the other man was hunched holding a heavy metal beam over his left shoulder. The beam pulling at the purple shirt he wore that was tucked into his pants – there was just something enjoyable about seeing the polar opposites of the two men.

“Right!” Tony then grabbed Riley by her shoulders, his touch causing her to grow tense in her back but relaxing when they walked closer to Bruce.

“Help Brucie bear lift that beam up there and wait until I’ve welded it into place.” Tony instructed Riley, pointing to the place that he wanted the beam to be.

“I’m now your maintenance man?” Riley grumbled before she swiftly moved towards the beam resting it on her right shoulder to place her hands in the appropriate areas then lifting it, relieving Bruce of the weight as he sent her a grateful smile.

“Only if you’ve got the family jewels in those pants, are those my pants too?” Tony teased as he came over with the gauntlet from one of his suits around his right arm.

“Shut up and weld, tin man.” Riley huffed.

“Someone’s feisty today.” Tony smirked but began to weld the metal into place. 

“Tony.” Bruce gave the other man a warning glare, causing the corner of Riley’s mouth to twitch with a grin. They stood there for a moment longer as Tony finished welding the beam.

“There. Now that wasn’t hard was it?” Tony slid the gauntlet off, while Bruce and Riley turned to look at one another.

“You wanna hit him?” Riley deadpanned.

“Ladies first.” Bruce gestured towards Tony and Riley laughed it off.

“That all you needed me for?” Riley asks, already retreating to the table that had pretty much been reserved as her workbench. Her laptop sitting slightly ajar, her notebook and pen just to its side and the work lamp switched off. This had only become a thing three weeks ago because Tony had almost set her computer on fire when she had been sat on the end of the workbench he had been testing some new equipment out on.

“Thank you again, Riley.” Bruce meekly smiled at her again. Riley stuffed her hands in the pockets of her – Tony’s – hoodie, crashing down onto the chair in front of the table.

“Should stop letting Tony drag you into things. Pretty sure that’s how he ended up being taken out by Nat in training.” Riley teased. Tony’s jaw hung open in mock offensive as he put his hand over the arc reactor in his chest.

“I take offense to that.” He points over to her.

“Of course you would.” Bruce roll his eyes walking over Riley and leaning against the tabletop. He crossed his arms and tilted his head down and his tone soft when he spoke.

“You feeling alright? No panic?”

After six months of living in the tower together, Bruce was always the first to ask about the night before. Having similar experience in giving your control over to the persona lingering within, he was the easiest one to talk to about it.

“Just tired, think I over did it with the silver again.” Riley pulled back the sleeves of the hoodie. Bruce’s frown deepened as he stared at the deep red lines that engulfed Riley’s wrist. The skin was still slowly healing and from the growing bags under Riley’s eyes, it was taking a toll on her to keep herself under control and her healing factor being reduced from its usual rate in her wolf form.

“If you need to shift, I’ll come with you to the containment room.” Bruce was always generous to Riley; _was that why her wolf was so fond of him?_ The containment room had been built originally to keep Hulk under control, but the fourth month of living here Riley had to use the room due to being set off by an incident involving a wrench and Tony’s sarcasm.

“I’ll be fine.” Riley assured as she covered her wrists once again. Swirling in her chair, she booted up her laptop. Bruce smiled once more before moving back over to his own worktop – his eyes often drifting back over to Riley.

Hours passed as the three continued through their day. Tony and Riley bickering and throwing sarcastic remarks at one another. Bruce focusing on his work but asking Riley to join him drinking the herbal tea that he recommended weeks ago. Riley had flicked through the few emails she received – most being spam anyway. Then she turned her attention to the drafts she was working on. Before becoming an Avenger, Riley was a writer. Not a successfully published one, but a writer none the less.

She mostly used her writing to escape the nightmares, the thoughts that lingered behind closed doors and her growing curiosity of the world she had been forced into.

“Sir, the team is being assembled.” Jarvis spoke. All three heads peaked up and shared their quick glances.

“Of course we’re needed on the worst day of the month.” Riley grumbled, shutting down her computer and quickly following the two men into the elevator.

“Oh come on, you know you want to let off some steam.” Tony grinned down at her, Riley returning his look with a meek smile.

_“Shut up, Tony.”_


	4. THREE

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not the best at writing action but I tried my best. Shorter chapter too but I promise the next one will make up for it.

* * *

Riley’s knee kept bouncing as she sat in the back of the Quinjet. A real side effect that came from flying for Riley was the headaches. A pulsing that pounded in her ears, twisting her brow in pain. She inhaled on counts of eight and exhaled the same, calming her nerves and trying to settle the excitement coming from her wolf.

“Time to go.” Natasha spoke when they landed. Riley cut a glance to Bruce who was to stay in the jet until a code green was called. Bruce smiled at her and Riley returned it gently then quickly thrown the hoodie she worn down to the ground. Bruce averted his eyes as his cheeks tainted pink.

Riley began to run after Steve, Clint and Natasha. Thor wasn’t on earth this month so they were already a man down for this mission, meaning that Riley wouldn’t have a choice but to shift. Panting and feeling her skin begin to itch, Riley bounded off the ground shifting into the beautiful wolf. Her clothing shredded and left to the forest floor.

**_Wolf in field._**

It was still strange for Riley to use her ability of telepathy. The team had agreed that when she was in this form that she was to use her ability to keep in contact with the rest of the team. Creating a mental link with each of them had been a challenging task – more so because Riley didn’t usually like projecting into people’s minds.

“Roger that.” Natasha panted. Whilst the team would hear Riley in their heads, Riley could use her enhanced hearing to keep in the loop of the team’s plan.

“Roberts, you take the west side with Barton as perimeter. Romanoff and I will cover the east. Stark you have the skies.” Steve spoke with authority that matched the environment they were entering. A Hydra base that held intel that S.H.I.E.L.D deemed a threat to national safety – a casual Friday afternoon.

Riley ran over to Clint, leaning down for the man to jump onto her back. Clint gripped the pecan fur as Riley took off to the west end of the building. The area was mostly isolated, surrounded by trees and old, burnt down buildings. Once they were in position Clint jumped down from Riley’s back and armed his bow.

The fight began without a hitch. Riley ran perimeter as instructed, pushing back anyone trying to escape with any information. Most began to shoot at her and in her frenzied state she was merciless on them. Her claws tearing through them as though they were putty in her hands. Making sure to confirm the kills to avoid running the risk of creating more wolves. Killing was never something that Riley wanted to do but when it came to the people who risked the lives of thousands, she tried to push her moral compass aside.

“What’s your position, Barton?” Steve called out as Riley tore apart another soldier.

“Making my way through the west tunnels.” Clint replied.

“Meet me in the control room.” Nat demanded.

Riley turned when she heard the shouts of more incoming soldiers. Growling in warning to the fools before they opened fire. Riley dashed at them, bullets whizzing past her and the men beginning to panic.

Riley roared in pain as a bullet imbedded itself in her leg. Another lodged itself within her side as she stumbled and crashed into a tree. The hard bark scratching at her fur as she whimpered. Another roar left her as a searing fire ripped through her. Her veins setting alight and her body becoming overwhelmed in agony.

**_Wolfsbane. They’ve laced the bullets._**

“Get out of there. I’m laying down a beating.” Came Tony’s reply. Riley felt herself growing weaker and her body shifting. The roars becoming screams and her body shaking. The poison already gripping its hold onto her body, there was no way she was going to be able to move. Shifting back would only hurt more. Riley needed to get these bullets out.

**_I can’t move._**

“Anyone got eyes on Roberts?” Steve called out, slamming his shield against the head of another soldier.

“Is this a code green?” Bruce asked.

“Bring out the big guns, big guy.” Tony responded.

Riley screamed again as her fingers pried their way to pull the bullet out of her side. The wound trying to heal around the metal was making it harder to pull it out. Riley flinched at the familiar roar of Hulk in the distance. Hissing, tears rolling down her face, fingers clawing at the wound at her side and nude was how Tony found Riley.

“Hey wolf.” Tony crouched down, his face plate lifting to reveal his sweat damp hair and concerned eyes.

“I need – AGH!” Riley screamed as she pulled the first bullet out of her side. The metal burning her bloodied fingers before she threw it away from her.

“Grab on.” Tony slid his arm behind Riley and his other under her legs.

“I can, I can still fight. Just got to get this out.” Riley panted as Tony picked her up.

“A three legged dog isn’t going to be useful to anyone right now.” Tony teased Riley. His face plate returning to its place and then he took off towards the Quinjet. Riley was breaking out into chills and sweating. Her body already trying to heal was being counteracted by the wolfsbane laced bullet still in her thigh. Her breathing was shallow and her eyes felt heavy.

“Stay with me, sweetheart.” Riley wanted to comment, wanted to throw the small pet name back in his face but the world was growing dark. Riley wanted to sleep.

“Riley.” She opened her eyes at the sound of her name. Jolting up when her sight blurred and her body burned. Something cool held her arms and her chest heaved with each breath.

**_Shift._**

“Get everyone out!” Riley heard hurried feet and Jarvis replying to someone. But she couldn’t see. It was just white with blurs of red. Someone screamed and her body curled in on itself.

“Come on kid, snap out of it.” A shadow came in from the white.

**_Steve?_**

“Breathe, we need you to stay calm.” Another shadow.

**_Nat?_**

Riley blinked again and again, but her sight remained blurred. The burning still spread up her spine, sweat covered her face and neck. The coolness on her arms the only relenting force against the poison trying to leave her bloodstream.

**_It burns._**

Mint and honey. It hit her nose causing her to gasp, gulp for air. A howl rung in her head, loud and reverberating. Riley’s hands clutched at the coolness on her arms. Hands. She blinked again and again. The world finally coming into focus.

“Breathe.” Nat soothed again as Riley started to regain her sight. The burning was fading but it was still too warm in the room. She was holding someone’s hand and they held her other arm tentatively. Her hand slid along the forearm as her eyes traced up to the owners face.

“Tony.” Riley’s voice was hoarse, throat dry. She gulped down the forming lump that lay there.

“Right here, Riles.” Tony smiled at her. His eyes darting around her form, checking for anymore signs of a shift again. Riley felt herself begin to relax, slouching forward her forehead hit Tony’s shoulder. She closed her eyes again and inhaled. Engulfing the scent that came from him as her wolf whined in content.

“Heart is stabilising. Temperature slowly coming back down.” Bruce read from the monitor beside the hospital bed that Riley sat on. The room seemed to breathe a sigh of relief in unison.

“Riley.” She opened her eyes at the call of her name, following the sound to look at Steve as he stood still in stealth suit. “You with us?”

Riley slowly nod her head before she felt the fatigue. Her body slumping and head falling down, Tony was quick to catch her and lay her back down. Bruce moved from the monitor to check on her.

“How’d they know?” Riley croaked as she looked between the others.

“We’re not sure. But they laced their armoury with enough wolfsbane to kill you.” Nat responded from the foot of the bed.

_“Good to know.” Then Riley closed her eyes again._


	5. FOUR

* * *

Riley huffed and groaned as she collided with the training mat, a victorious Natasha stood above her.

“You’re distracted.” Nat grins holding out her hand.

“Shut up.” Riley winced as she took the hand and was heaved up to her feet again.

“That’s the fifth time you’ve let me put you on your ass.” Nat’s eyebrow quirked up. “What’s got you lost in that head of yours?” Riley rolls her eyes and walks over to the bench where her bag and bottle rested. Gulping the water from the bottle as she sat down and Nat sat next to her. They sat in silence as Riley hung her head and fiddled with the bottle cap.

“Out of everyone in that room,” Riley sat up and looked Natasha in the eyes. “He was the one that snapped me out of it.”

“Tony?”

“That wolfsbane should’ve killed me. Bruce showed me the toxicity reports. I should’ve been dead the moment after I pulled the first bullet out.” Riley drank the rest of her water and then hung her head again. Nat’s hand rubbed along the bottom of her spine, a comforting gesture that Nat found brought Riley’s temper down.

“You pair okay back there?!” Both women looked at Steve as he stood above a panting Clint – having been thrown on his ass.

“All good, captain.” Riley saluted and stood back up. Steve rolled his eyes and smiled at her before helping Clint to his feet.

“That wolf of yours didn’t want to die, neither did you.” Riley stopped at Natasha’s words. Shoulders tensed and jaw jutted in thought, Riley shook her head in agreement.

“I’m overthinking.” Riley smiled as she turned back to Nat. “How about another round?”

Riley lay in bed later wide awake. She knew that she wasn’t overthinking it. Somehow, against all the logical odds, Tony had kept her alive. He had pulled her out of death’s grip by just being near her. _But how?_ Tony had held her even when she almost shifted – she could’ve hurt him or worse. He grounded her back to control, brought her back to the world.

Sitting up in her bed, she threw the covers off her and swung her legs over the edge of the mattress. An uneasiness settled in her stomach as she sat up too quick. She felt faint for a moment and her arms tingled. This lasted for several minutes but it faded just as it appeared. Brushing it off as just a dizzy spell from maybe a lack of something in her diet since the last full moon, Riley stood up.

She left her room and wandered down to The Pit. She paused when she saw Bruce sat on one of the beanbags reading a document on his lap. He looked up as she walked closer.

“Thought you cared about your posture?” Riley teased as she collapsed on her own beanbag near Bruce.

“You’ve become a bad influence on me.” Bruce smiled down at the papers he held.

“Well if you’re the nerdy friend then I’ve got to be the fun one.” Riley used her hands to air quote as she spoke, Bruce humming his approval.

“Wouldn’t want people to have the wrong idea.”

“Oh god no, we’d never live it down. The scandal!” They erupted into laughter. As they calmed down, Bruce glanced at Riley as she plays with the ends of her sleeves.

“Sorry for causing a code green.” Riley scratches the nape of the neck. “How you been feeling since?”

“I should be asking you that.” Bruce retorted, the papers on his lap all but forgotten. Riley shook her head, again her jaw jutted in thought.

“Its impossible.” She huffed. “I shouldn’t have survived that dose.”

“But you did.”

“How?!” Riley shifted on her beanbag, turning her body to face Bruce directly. “I mean, you saw the reports. That much wolfsbane should’ve killed me.” Bruce opened his mouth as though to speak but closed it again, letting out a sigh. Seeing the falter in Bruce’s response Riley slumped more into her beanbag.

“I’m not trying to sound a like an arse, but in a world where a wolf and band of superheroes stopped an alien invasion – well you’d think we’d have a simple answer for this.” Riley muttered and continued to fiddle with the ends of her sleeves.

Bruce watched her tentatively. He shifted on his beanbag, pulling the papers further away from the woman. The reports had been the same every time he read them – hell he had Jarvis run them through. Riley should’ve been dead. But there was a variable that he was missing. Something had kept her alive and neither logic nor reason seemed to give him the answer of the cause. Though Bruce couldn’t figure it out, he was glad that he couldn’t. It didn’t matter how. It mattered that she was alive.

“What’s got you two all cozy?” Riley and Bruce both snap their heads to the elevator as Tony steps out into the space. “Were you having a moment?”

“Shut up Tony.” Bruce sighs but a knowing smirk on his face. Tony walked over to them and frowned.

“You’re a terrible influence.” He remarks, pointedly looking at Riley.

“Says the worst of them all.” Riley sneers back and Tony rolls his eyes before he collapses on his own beanbag. Bruce watching the small grin of victory creeping on Riley’s face.

“Not a word.” Tony pointed at Riley, who was already closing her mouth to retain her comment. Bruce had already gone back to rereading the reports on his lap and Tony took in the sight with a raised eyebrow. Riley turned to try and peak at the papers in Bruce’s hands, but he had caught on and turned them further away from her.

“Keeping secrets from your besties Brucie? Gotta say I’m hurt.” Tony pouted – this time Bruce rolled his eyes.

“I’d merely call you a pain in ass.” Riley shot at Tony.

“Watch it pup.” Riley growled at the nickname as Tony chuckled to himself. Bruce shook his head and waited for the remark from Riley but found it didn’t come. Riley stood up from her beanbag and wandered over to the pool table that stood the opposite side of the TV wall. Grumbling about Tony being an arse as she went.

“Jarvis, time?” Tony asked as he looked at Bruce and his papers.

“It is currently one twenty six am, sir.” Jarvis’ voice filled The Pit. Riley had set up the pool table for herself and grabbed one of the sticks on the nearby wall.

“I’m hungry. Chinese anyone?” Tony looked between the two with expecting eyes.

“Usual.” Bruce responded without looking up. Riley seemed to ignore Tony’s question, which made said man stand up and walk over to the pool table as she took her first shot. Tony grabbed the white ball from the table and lightly tossed it between his hands. Riley clicked her jaw as she set a heavy glare on his face.

“What’s got your panties in a twist?” Tony frowned. He watched as Riley gripped the edge of the pool table and her face contorted as her eyes closed. Tony put the ball on the table as he stood straighter, ready to jump the gun if needed.

“Riles?” Riley fucking trembled at the call of her name. Her wolf pushing – fighting – for control. Something was off. Nothing had upset her; nothing had threatened her and yet she found it harder to breathe and keep control.

**_It hurts._**

Bruce’s head perked up. He dropped the papers and scrambled to his feet as Riley all but collapsed into Tony, panting and shivering.

“Jarvis run a full body scan.” Tony demanded as Bruce helped him carry Riley over to the couches. Laying her flat on her back as she clutched onto them both.

“It appears there are still trances of wolfsbane in Miss Roberts system. Her healing factor has rapidly been decreased.” Jarvis spoke in a concerned manner, something that made Tony and Bruce look at one another in the panic. Both men had done what little research they could on werewolves – there wasn’t many resources to go on. But it was to their understanding that Riley didn’t heal as fast in human form than she did when she shifted.

“Only way to get it out would be-“

“To shift.” Bruce finished Tony’s words. The Pit wasn’t built to withhold an eight wolf, so this was going to be difficult.

**_Move._**

Both men listened to Riley’s warning as the woman rolled herself off the couch. Tony called for his suit to be on standby as Bruce felt the Other Guy creep up in the back of his mind.

Riley grunted and moaned as her body contorted and grew in size. Her clothes shred against the growth – both men averting their eyes. Fur covering her skin and her face growing into the face of a wolf. Once she had fully shifted, the wolf seemed to struggle to stand. Collapsing to lay down and rest her head on the couch, both men sighed in relief. The wolf wasn’t going to go rampaging through the tower but they still held up their guard.

“Riles,” Tony took the first step towards the giant wolf. “You with us?”

**_Shut up Tony._**

Bruce covered his mouth with his hand to silence the little snicker that escaped him. Tony rolled his eyes as the wolf huffed out her nose. Turning her head she looked at the two men that stood rigid off to the side.

**_I’m not gonna bite._**

“I’m not testing that.” Tony smirked at her, earning another huff. Bruce however moved to sit on the couch next to where the wolf’s head rested. He held up a hesitate hand and waited in question. Riley adjusted her head so that Bruce’s hand lay on the spot between her ears. Bruce gave an experimental scratch and the wolf sagged against the couch more and closed her eyes.

“How ‘bout that.” Tony snickered. “You are just a big ol’ softie.” The wolf huffed again as Bruce continued to comforting pats and scratches on her head.

“Sir, Rogers, Romanoff and Barton are asking about the situation.” Jarvis spoke and Tony scowled at the ceiling.

“Snitch.” Tony grumbled.

“Tell them its under control, false alarm.” Bruce replies.

*** 

“Not a word.” Riley warned Tony as she walked into the lab. Tony and Bruce were working away as she stepped off the elevator, the former had looked up and just opened his mouth to speak before snapping his jaw shut. Riley walked over to her computer and sat in silence as she typed on the keyboard. Bruce and Tony shared a look and shrugged their shoulders before continuing with their work.

“How long until its sustainable?” Bruce asked aloud as he read off one of the many screens at a work bench. Tony tapping and then swiping his fingers on his own screen as he sent a document over to Bruce’s.

“The moment Jarvis finishes synthesizing the compound, we’ll be able to put it together. Hell maybe even in larger batches.” Tony’s reply peaked Riley’s interest. She sat up from her slouched position over the laptop and swirled in her chair to face the men. Noting that Bruce was still in the same clothing from the night before as a matter of fact so was Tony.

“What are you working on?” Riley asked. Tony turned to her and smiled.

“Antidote.” He brought over a tablet for Riley to look at. The woman’s eyes widening at the sight. She looked up at Tony mouth failing to form the words she wanted to say. “You’re welcome.” Tony was smug, _when wasn’t he._ Riley looked over to Bruce as he glanced back over the rim of his glasses.

“Can’t have you nearly dying on us again.” Tony ruffles Riley’s short hair as the woman stood frozen. She tried to speak again but gave up with speech. She wrapped her arms around Tony’s waist and pressed her cheek against the arc reactor in his chest. Tony ‘oof’ed as Riley clung to him, laughing. He wrapped a hesitant arm around her shoulders and returned the hug.

“Thank you.” Riley gasped. Pulling away from Tony she made a beeline straight to Bruce to pull him into her embrace just as she had to Tony. “Thank you.” Tears brimmed in her eyes as she held onto Bruce. Earthy and coconut was inhaled as she slightly buried her nose into his shoulder. Another scent that had her wolf reeling in excitement.

_“Couldn’t risk you again, wolf.”_


	6. FIVE

* * *

The antidote proved its use on their next mission. Hydra were lasing everything with wolfsbane. Although Riley had been on alert the entire time, a stray bullet had only grazed her but _shit_ did it burn. Tony and Bruce had been able to work some darts into Tony’s suit and the moment that he administered the shot, Riley seemed as fine as before. Taking a few seconds to work its way through her system before she was back on her feet and tearing apart the soldiers who had shot her.

“So what it’s like?” Clint had asked as the team sat around the kitchen island. The countertop was littered with various Chinese takeout boxes and drinks. They had been home since the early hours and all decided to have a little team bonding after a successful mission. _Tony paid_. Riley finished shovelling her noodles into her mouth as Bruce lightly chuckled at her.

“Wha?” Riley spoke around the mouthful of food before Bruce handed her a napkin.

“Being a werewolf.” Clint pushed. “Come on, you haven’t told any of us how you become one. Were you born a wolf?” Riley then became hyper aware of the team’s attention on her – part of her wanted to hide behind Bruce’s hunched shoulder as he leant on the counter. Swallowing her food and wiping her mouth she spoke.

“No, I wasn’t born a wolf. Mom and dad are both human.” Riley wiped her hands on her jeans. “Got attacked by another wolf walking home through the park. Scratched up my back and left me with a roommate.” She tapped her index finger on her forehead.

“So, you and the wolf are separate beings?” Nat asked from her place between Clint and Steve.

“Yep.” Riley popped the p before using her chopsticks to pick up a roll from one of the containers. Tony shooting her a glare for stealing his pork roll. His gaze softened though as he watched her wiggle in her seat – _wearing his hoodie again if he may add._

“How can you change without a full moon? Does it hurt?” Clint continued to twenty questions that he seemed to want to play tonight.

“You sure you want to know when we’re eating?” Riley asked and Clint grinned, everyone else joining in their agreement. “Alright, you asked.” Riley wipes her hands and then looks at the ceiling.

“Jarvis, can you pull up the footage from June twelfth, two thousand six from my computer please.” Three holoscreens then appeared in front of them; one for Nat, Clint and Steve to share, one for Riley and Bruce and then one for Tony. The clip began with a younger Riley speaking into the camera, then continued to the moment she began to chain herself up. There was a gasp from her right as video Riley turned and revealed the claw marks that cursed her. It dawned on her that no one had seen her scars, she had always managed to hide them – even from Nat when she’d bring her clothes the morning after a full moon.

The video continued on and soon younger Riley was screaming. Riley jolted as she felt a hand clutch her own. Looking down she saw that Bruce had absentmindedly grabbed onto her hand, his thumb resting on the back of her hand as his eyes remained on the screen before him. Riley watched the reactions of the others as video her transformed into a wolf for the first time.

Nat eyes brimmed with tears and her jaw set, Clint’s mouth hung agape slightly and his eyes glued to the screen, Steve had cast his eyes down as the wolf on the screen howled. Then she turned to Tony. He was frozen. His eyes never leaving the screen, his expression unreadable but he held his fist with white knuckles close to his arc reactor. Bruce hadn’t released Riley’s hand, if anything he used her to ground himself as he watched the footage.

The holoscreens disappeared.

“When I joined shield, they promised me a cure. Never was one.” Riley spoke to fill in the horrid silence that fell on the group. “So I started to force the transformations. If I’m going to be stuck like this I may as well have some control over it. _Hurt like hell_. I had to break every bone in my body over and over – become numb to it. Don’t misunderstand though, it still hurts to shift but having more self-control over it makes it manageable.”

“Doesn’t explain a full moon.” Clint comments and Riley nods her head.

“Yeah.” Riley huffs and looks down at her lap. “Full moons are still incredibly painful. Not only am I shifting-“

“You’re losing control of yourself.” Bruce finishes for her. He had turned his head to face her. Riley nodded in confirmation.

“I’m not myself when I shift on a full moon… I let myself be consumed by the wolf… It’s as though I’m drowning and when I resurface, I have memories that aren’t even mine.” Riley’s voice got tight at the end. Her eyes blown wide, mouth agape and breathing picking up. She pulled away from Bruce’s hand and stood abruptly. Without another word she turned to leave and entered the elevator.

*** 

Bruce stood outside Riley’s door, his hands fidgeting in front of him. After the little display they were shown by Riley, everyone had eaten in silence. Tony had been the first to leave, he went back to the lab no doubt to tinker away what he saw. Clint and Nat went to spar after Nat had clipped Clint around the back of his head. Steve and Bruce cleared up before parting ways. Bruce’s knuckles rapped on the door and he waited.

“Miss Roberts has permitted you to enter, Dr Banner.” Jarvis spoke, scaring the man as he looked to the ceiling. Gulping away the sudden nerves, Bruce entered Riley’s room. It was dimly lit by a lamp besides the bed and the windows had been shaded. Riley was sat against the headboard with her knees pulled up to her chest. Bruce didn’t want to bring up the fact of how puffy her eyes were and how her cheeks were reddened most likely due to her wiping away her tears on that hoodie she wore. _Why did she still wear it?_

“That was a lot, back there.” Bruce gestured his thumb over his shoulder as he took a few steps further into the room. Riley shifted on the bed and moved over. Bruce took this invitation and awkwardly sat beside her, his hands fidgeting in his lap. With his back against the headboard, he brought his legs up and crossed them – _once he’d kicked off his shoes of course_.

“Wasn’t all of it.” Riley muttered. Bruce turned his full attention to Riley. He saw the healing half-crescent marks on the back of her right hand. Saw her shake her head and sniff back tears.

“I’m not going to ask what else there is.” Bruce started off soft. “Seeing what you have to go through each time you shift, seems like you shouldn’t have to talk about it.”

“Feel like there’s a ‘but’ coming in.” Riley interrupted him as she turned her head to face him. Bruce stared wordlessly into the two toned eyes that waited for a moment.

“I’m not that kind of doctor, but I’m happy to lend an ear if you need to talk.” This earnt a snort from Riley and she shook her head. Bruce smiled looking down at his hands and waited for Riley to speak. To his immense surprise, he watched as Riley reached over and interlaced her right hand with his left. It felt natural, the way his hand formed around hers. Not the same when he had clutched to her as he had an hour before. Bruce smiled. He gently rubbed his thumb against her skin over the now faint marks.

“You’re a good friend, Bruce.” Riley smiles, leaning her head on his shoulder. Bruce rested his chin on the top of her hair, inhaling the coconut scent from it.

“I try to be.” Bruce spoke softly. Riley shifted on Bruce’s shoulder – almost nuzzling herself against him, keeping their hands intertwined as she settled against him. 


	7. SIX

* * *

“Remind me again why it’s always me going undercover?” Riley muttered as she brought the champagne flute to her lips. Her eyes scanning across the room full of rich elites and a potential target of assassination. The two toned eyes now matching due to the help of contact lenses to further to hide Riley’s identity. She also wore a shoulder length blonde wig – _which itched like a bitch_. 

“Some of us have recognisable faces.” Nat reply comes through the comm in her right ear; tech that Tony had built and prided himself on being some of best for stealth and undercover ops such as this one.

“That with or without this ridiculous dress?” Riley scoffs. Said dress had been picked out by Nat and if Riley had to say one thing about it: _exposed._ It was a gorgeous dress that hugged her curve in all the right places, though it didn’t leave much to the imagination. Riley had been thankful for the skin tone underlayer that hid the claw marks along her spine. Although Riley did feel a sense of feminine power that rivalled Natasha. If badass had a dress, then Riley was wearing it.

“Don’t think cap could pull it off as well as you, princess.” Tony chuckled. Riley rolled her eyes at the nickname that had become a thing during the mission briefing. Tony was waiting close by the building in his suit for Riley’s exit and as backup in case things went south.

“Stay focused.” Steve broke up the fun before Riley could respond. “Have you got eyes on the target?” Riley scanned the room again, finding the target in his tux speaking to another man.

“For someone of high importance, he is pretty boring.” Riley sighs, but continues to scan the room for any potential threats.

“Boring is always safe.” Bruce sounds his own opinion on the situation. He had been silently worried the moment Riley left after she promised that everything would be okay, even with heels on.

“Mm, I don’t know. Think we may have had a bogus call.” Riley juts her jaw in annoyance.

“All dressed up and no one to beat.” Tony remarks and Riley rolls her eyes.

“Just keep an eye out, shouldn’t be long now.” Nat cut in and Riley began moving around the room. Making sure to keep the target within her eye line at all times as he moved around the room. Riley did her best to avoid speaking to people as she slid by. Nothing worse than having to speak to a complete stranger and keep up the disguise of another of societies elites.

**_Hello pup._**

Riley froze. Her wolf growled as she felt her skin crawl. Her eyes ran across the room looking for the source of the deep rumble in her mind. People were laughing, a woman’s laugh wasn’t anything other than a shirl of a noise. Glasses were clinking off one another, trays slid on the bar to be refilled with champagne flutes. Whispers and seductions passed from one stranger to the next. The increasing thumping of a heart – perhaps even a drum. Violins, cellos, trumpets. Cheers. Glasses clinking. Laughter. Shirl.

“I prefer the brown.” The ghost of breath on the shell of her ear and Riley went rigid. There was a calloused hand that stroked through the blonde wig. “Though I like the blonde look for you.” The deep hum of the man’s voice shook Riley, her wolf itching to be released to fight. She was shaking.

“What are you doing here?” Riley ground out between her teeth, her hand tightening its grip on the flute glass. Refusing to turn around to stare the devil in his cold eyes.

“I missed my little pet.” The answer teased her, poked at old wounds when his hand came into contact with her back. Just below where the last claw mark ended on her spine. “Come, let’s dance.” He then pushed her and she had no choice but to move. Her body automatically reacting under his touch as he led her to the dancefloor where many other men and women were swaying.

**_Call for help and this entire room will be slaughtered._**

Riley gulped at the words as they sounded in her mind. She placed her flute glass on the tray of a waiter as she passed them. She knew that her comm would pick up anything that was said to her and already the team were probably on their way. Riley worried Tony would make a spectacle of himself and get hurt in the process and her heart sank.

Once on the dancefloor, the owner of the hand on Riley’s back came around into her eyeline. The same sick smile that accompanied the amber orbs that bore into Riley’s soul shifted her wolf to growl.

“Come now, darling. You didn’t think I’d leave you for long, did you?” He taunted, pulling her close to his hard chest and trapping her in his arms as his right hand took hers. An acidic taste lingered on Riley’s tongue as she placed her hand onto his shoulder.

“Was our last dance not a hint enough?” Riley snarked as they began to slowly move to the music that filtered out the room around them.

“You’ve always played hard to get.” He chuckled, baring his fangs and leaning closer to Riley’s ear. “I suggest your friends don’t interrupt our dance, dear. Would be a shame for them to have to clean up our mess.” Riley closed her eyes as he spoke loud and clear into the comm for the others to hear. She heard a small commotion before a roar ripped through her ear and the line was cut. _Bruce._ Her eyes snapped open as he pulled back, a smirk still on his lips.

“What do you want, Alastair?” Riley scowled.

“Why are you hiding your eyes? You look ravishing when they glow.” Alastair pondered looking closely at Riley’s contacts.

“Answer the question.” Each word was bit out, each syllable full of venom.

“Oh you really are filling out into a strong little pup, aren’t you?” Alastair teases, spinning Riley out before pulling her back in with his chest against her back. His hands held on her hips as his hand trapped hers with his iron grip. “How else can I get your attention then to threaten the life of the secretary of defence?”

“So you’re the threat.” Riley concluded as Alastair kept his head low and his left hand glided along her side.

“You don’t come otherwise. Thought I’d have to resort to kidnapping your sister and that little brat of hers.” Riley let out a growl at his words and Alastair beamed.

“You have me now. What do you want?” Riley was spun again to look at Alastair. His face gleaming and Riley felt her irritation and hatred grow.

“Do they know?” Alastair’s brow rose in question.

“What are you talking about?” Riley glared in slight confusion.

“The little playthings that your wolf purrs over.” Riley’s eyes widen. “Ah~ You haven’t told them.”

“Get to the point, jackass.” Riley spat. Truthfully, Riley didn’t have a clue what Alastair was suggesting, but she had an inkling of where he was going.

“Have the dreams started? Do you wish for them to ravish you as much as I wish to?” Alastair’s words were bringing tremors along Riley’s spine. Her wolf whimpering and submitting under his gaze. Alastair’s eyes giving off a sight glow as he stared down at her with that sick grin.

“Leave them out of this.” Riley eyes casted down, exposing the side of her neck – a weakness she wished didn’t come back.

**_You hear me, Riles?_**

Riley felt fear blossom in her chest as she looked over Alastair’s shoulder and saw Tony walking into the large ballroom. Without his Iron Man suit and looking as though he had robbed a waiter’s suit from the kitchens. He looked around the room until his eyes found Riley’s, a wash of relief passed through him before he caught sight of Alastair.

**_Get out of here._**

**_Not without you._**

Alastair looked over his shoulder and saw what had peaked Riley’s interest, a grimace settling upon his face.

“I see lover boy couldn’t stay away.” Alastair groaned as his hands dig into Riley’s hips, causing her to flinch and look away from Tony. “I wonder what would happen if I bit him.”

“Don’t even think about it.” Riley growled, the glow of her eyes breaking through the contacts in cracks and Alastair beamed once again.

“Oh she really likes him.” Alastair chuckled, his grip tightening as he leant down to Riley’s ear. “I’ll see you soon, darling.” His lips pressed a kiss to the side of her head before he released her and stalked off through the crowd. Riley found herself gasping for air as she shook. Adrenaline coursing through her as she all but ran at Tony, who had already started towards her.

“Who was that?” He asked her as she grabbed his arm and began tugging him out of the room.

“The threat was a lie, secretary is safe. We need to leave now.” Riley’s voice shook just as much as the rest of her did. Control becoming weaker as her wolf howled for release.

“What happened? Riles, you’re shaking.” Tony pulled Riley to a halt and turned her so he could help ground her. Holding onto her arms as Riley hung her head and panted.

“I need to leave. Please.” Riley begged, looking up to Tony. Riley’s eyes brimming with tears and chest heaving, Tony nodded his head in agreement and they swiftly left the crowded room and escaped through a fire escape where Tony’s suit waited.

_“Hold on, sweetheart.”_


	8. SEVEN

* * *

“Alastair Dearil.” Riley stood at the head of the table for the debrief. Minus the blonde wig, eye contacts and heels that she had been wearing but she still wore the dress. Her arms crossed over her chest as she scanned the room. The others had scattered themselves between sitting on the chairs or lingering against the walls.

“Alastair was the man that attacked me when I was twenty one. He has tormented me for years, never seeming to take the hint. He always seems to find me. Tonight he pushed me, threatened both my family and…” Riley trailed off her words, her eye flicking around the room – catching onto Tony sat down and Bruce stood against the far wall.

Tony had ditched the bow tie, unbuttoned the top three buttons and rolled his sleeves up to his elbows. Bruce however wore one of the S.H.I.E.L.D labelled jumpers and joggers. Dark rings under his eyes and arms wrapped around himself. Riley had been the only one to bring him back after the Hulk made an appearance whilst Riley had been dealing with Alastair.

“Why hasn’t he been dealt with before?” Steve asks as he leans forward on his chair.

“Because I can’t kill him.” Riley’s stoic expression and response brought more questions from them. Why? What’s stopping you? Is there others?

“He is the man that created my wolf.” Riley wipes a hand over her face, a small growl ripping through her mind. “Think of him as an alpha. I can’t physically kill him unless I was to challenge him but in order to do that I would have to be an alpha myself.” Riley gestured with her hands as she spoke. Her voice was strong, heated.

Mark them.

A guttural growl tore itself through Riley, sending shivers through everyone. She staggered forward, fists clenching onto the wooden surface and shoulders hunched as she took uneasy breaths. Everyone shared similar looks of concern.

_Mark who?_

Natasha was walking closer to Riley with her hand out, as though calming an animal.

“Hey, it’s okay.” Nat’s voice was soft, calming. “Tell me where you are.” This was a system the women had built for the days following a full moon. Natasha would get Riley to start naming things around her, the scents she could pick up, the sounds she could hear – all of it acting as a grounding. Bringing her back into the driver’s seat of her mind and preventing any accidents.

“Briefing room.” Riley grunted, her right hand clutching onto the wood of the table and her fingers chipping the edges.

“Smell?” Riley inhaled through her nose, exhaling a shaky breath through her mouth.

“Mint, honey. Coconuts, grass, tree bark.” It didn’t go unnoticed by Riley when Clint and Steve tried to subtly smell themselves. But it wasn’t their scents she was focused on.

“What do you see волк?”

“My friends. You, Steve, Clint, Bruce, Tony.” Each name Riley stated, her eyes went to the owner. Each of them giving a smile in reassurance.

“I can hear the tap that Clint left on in the bathroom.” Chuckles circled the room as the tension began to ease. Riley took a few more deep breaths, regulating her heart rate back down. The howls and growls slowly dying down into whimpers inside her head. Riley released the table, flexing her hand as Nat came to stand next to her.

“We’ll figure this out, Riley.” Steve promises. Looking around the room before his eyes turned back to her. “Whatever we need to do, we’ll do it together as a team.”

“Don’t go making too many promises, Stevie.” Riley smiled at the super soldier. She also caught onto the solemn glint in his eyes.

“Sir, the jet had arrived.” Jarvis’ voice broke through the room, shocking everyone besides the creator of the AI.

“Thanks, J.” Tony moves from the table over to the door, opening it and pausing to look back at Riley. “Got a present for you. Go get changed, not sure you’ll wanna greet them with that on.” Riley frowned at Nat, who shrugged her shoulders just as clueless as her.

*** 

Riley waited in the Pit with everyone else. She had changed into some grey joggers and a white hoodie with the word ‘love’ imprinted over her left breast. The others had scattered themselves around the open space. Steve was in the kitchen preparing some late night food for everyone, Clint had booted up the games console and was shooting hordes of the undead, Nat sat nearby keeping a watchful eye on Riley as she and Bruce spoke.

“You sure you’re okay?” He asked her.

“Bruce, for the millionth time I’m fine. Some things aren’t easy to talk about.” She assured him, placing a hand on his bicep. “I’m more worried about you. What set the big guy off?”

Bruce began fidgeting with his hands, picking at the dead skin around his thumbnail. Riley rubbed her thumb on his arm, trying to comfort him.

“Think I was just worried too much, might of mistook it for danger.” He dismisses and looks down at the hand on his arm. Riley lets her hand fall down to Bruce’s, slipping her fingers through his calloused ones. Unbeknown to both of them Nat was grinning as she watched the interaction and recalled what they had all heard back in the briefing room; a small plan hatching in the back of her mind.

The elevator doors opened and Riley was knocked off her feet before she had chance to release Bruce’s hand – bringing him down to the floor with her. Riley groaned as the air was knocked out of her lungs and the floppy haired child sat on her with a tight grip around her.

Clint, Nat and Steve had all jumped and were cautiously watching the boy that had just out Riley, who subsequently took down Bruce. Of whom rolled onto his back and groaned.

“Connor Joseph Roberts!” The shout came and the floppy hair looked up, revealing a smiling, brown eyed Connor. He shot up and turned back to the two women that accompanied a very confused looking Tony. Riley sent him shrug – she had some explaining to do, just as much as he did.

“Sorry, nan.” Connor rubbed the back of his neck, as he sweetly looked at the older woman as she prepared her newest lecture for her grandson.

“Screw that, help me up kid!” Riley laughed catching Connor’s attention again. Connor held onto Riley’s arm as she got up. He turned to Bruce who was on the floor still and his jaw dropped.

“No. Freaking. Way.” Connor blurred around the room as he squealed with excitement. Clint had to jump out the way of the sprinting teen before he knocked him over. Riley helped Bruce up, giving him a smile. Bruce frowned as he watched the blur of the boy around the room and the two women trying to shout at him to stop.

“He’s a huge fan.” Riley spoke to clarify the situation. Riley reached out with an uncanny amount of timing and grabbed Connor by the scuff of his shirt, bringing the excited teen to a halt.

“And if he doesn’t cool his jets, I’m telling Banner her about his-“

“No!” Connor shouted and straightened. A deep crimson creeping up his neck and burning the tips of his ears. “Will you sign my arm?” Riley laughed and pulled her nephew in for a hug, which was whole heartedly returned.

“So no hello for your mother, that just flew out to see you?” Riley turned to her mom as she walked over to them. Riley took in the new haircut her mom had gotten and the ginger hair that fell past her rosy cheeks.

“Sorry, was doing my sister’s job better.” Riley threw the jab at her sister. Jumping away when said woman tried to clip her on the arm.

“Girls, not in front of our hosts.” Riley’s mother scolds her two daughters. Riley looks bewildered at her.

“I live here!” Riley’s voice rose in pitch, causing Clint to snicker from his place by the couch. Nat elbowed him in the ribs.

“So you should know better!” Riley scoffed at her mother before she caught onto the stares from the others in the room. Also how Connor had gravitated himself towards Bruce.

“Come on, Riles.” Tony broke the tension walking to stand beside her. “Aren’t you going to introduce us?”

“Give me a second here, Tones. I’m still processing.” Riley huffed. She quickly pulled Connor to stand in front of her before he could begin his twenty million questions on Bruce.

“This troublemaker is Connor.” Riley begins her introductions. Connor raises his hand for Tony to shake.

“We’ve met.” Tony winked at Connor, which made the young boy smile before he dashed off and scared Steve when he appeared next to him.

“Well he came from my darling sister, Dakota.” Riley introduced her sister, who had stalked off over to Connor and Steve in the kitchen. A deep blush in her cheeks as she pulled her son away from Steve.

“Sorry, he is a big fan of you guys.” Dakota apologises and Connor shoots off to Clint and Nat to shake their hands.

“And last but by no means least is the woman who had to live with my sorry butt for twenty odd years-“

“I still do.” Her mother cut her off, shaking Tony’s hand. “Marie Roberts. We spoke on the phone dear.” Marie then moved over to Bruce and shook his hand too.

“Great!” Riley clapped her hands together. “You guys know the team so onto more pressing matters.” She turned on Tony. “Explain.” Tony held up his hands in defence.

“Hey! I did this for you.” Tony takes Riley’s hands and lowers them from pointing at him. “After tonight, I don’t think we should take any chances.” Riley deflated at this. Tony had already thought about her family for her and brought them where she would know they would be most safe.

“Are you and Hulk like two different people?” Connor asked Bruce, breaking Riley out of her little staring contest with Tony. Bruce shifted on his feet and looked to Riley to save him.

“Connor, why don’t we race to your room?” Connor lit up at Riley’s challenge and grinned with a smug confidence.

“You are so on.” He came to stand next to her.

“Jarvis, light up the way.” Riley requested and soon lights appeared on the floor. “Ready, go!” Riley gave a false start but Connor ran off following the lights. Dakota laughed at the evil trick that Riley pulled off on him – knowing that it would buy them about five minutes before the teen came back in his exploring. Riley turned to Tony again.

“So what’s the plan here, they staying in my room or have you already taken care of that too?” She asked tilting her head, a grin appearing on her lips.

“What do you take for me? Justin Hammer? Of course I sorted it. Jarvis should’ve led him to his room.” Tony spoke with mock offence before gesturing to the direction Connor took off to.

“Cool! A pool!” They heard Connor shout before a splash could be heard.

“Connor!” Dakota shouted as she ran off to find her son. Riley was bent over laughing so was Tony. Marie shook her head at her daughter as she walked over to the kitchen where she had smelt something burning. Steve went to get the food but Marie dismissed him and got the now burnt pie out of the oven.

“A storm just arrived at the tower.” Clint whispered to Nat.

_“More like a family.”_


	9. EIGHT

* * *

“So what’s wrong? Why was I made to get up at two in the morning for a flight?” Dakota asked her sister. The siblings had taken to sitting on the couch in the Pit. Everyone had filtered out to their own rooms or to the labs after final introductions were made. Connor had been sent to his room to dry off and stay there for the remainder of the night. Riley had promised him a visit to the gym to let him run off some steam in the morning if he stayed put. Marie wanted to rest after her flight and promised everyone a full English breakfast at eight in the morning.

“It’s Alastair.” Riley sighs, looking down to the glass of wine. Dakota thought it would be a good idea to crack open Tony’s wine collection.

“Ew.” Dakota’s nose wrinkles in disgust before she sips at her own wine. Riley take another sip of her wine, bringing her leg up onto the couch to sit on.

“I thought I was done with him, but apparently he isn’t done with me.” Riley began. “He threatened the life of the secretary of defence just to get me out in the open. Then he threatened you and Connor and T- actually that last one doesn’t matter.” Riley looked down at her hands, a blush creeping up her neck.

“Well thank you for thinking of our safety first.” Dakota smiles, a small twinkle of mischief in her eyes when she notices the flustered heat in her sister’s cheeks.

“Actually, that was Tony.” Riley corrects her sister, waving her hand in the general direction that Tony had left. “He usually does things without a heads up, but I was going to call you and get you all here as soon as I could.”

“So tell me about him.” Dakota shifts on the couch, turning to face her body towards Riley as she grinned. Riley shook her head and pointed at Dakota.

“No. No! We are not playing match maker with the people I work with.” She reprimanded her sister. But it was no use, that sly grin was already working her magic in her head.

“Okay, so we have a group of super soldiers, spies and geniuses. Now which one has taken your interest.” Dakota squinted at her sister. Riley scoffed and rolled her eyes, shaking her head.

“This is ridiculous.”

“It’s not Steve, ‘cause I’ll fight you over that super hunk.” Dakota pointed out, making Riley choke on her wine.

“You’re crushing on Stevie?!” Riley shrieks, eyes wide and jaw hanging open.

“Besides the point.” Dakota waves off the comment. “It’s not Nat, too much for even you to handle.” Riley gawked at her sister. “Clint seems the silent but annoying type and you’ve had that phrase in college.”

“Robert was a sweetheart!” Riley tried to defend her previous partner.

“He was nerd with a mommy complex.” Dakota deadpans and Riley has to agree with her there. It was a strange time in college.

“So that leaves us with the billionaire and the nervous doctor.” Dakota lists off, watching for a reaction out of Riley. Riley downs the rest of her wine, sighing at the slight taste before reaching for a refill.

“I’m not drunk enough for this shit.” She groans and fills her glass back up.

“So it is one of them!” Dakota stands on the couch, a childlike glee settling over her for having guessed correctly. Riley drinks more of her wine, muttering something into the glass.

“Speak up darling, mumbling would get you back handed ‘round the head if mom were here.” Dakota nudges Riley with her foot. Riley groans leaning back into the couch, wanting it to eat her up and make her disappear.

“It’s not just one.” Dakota just about catches onto Riley’s words before she squeals and crashes back down next to her sister.

“You dog!” Riley laughs at her sister as she squeals with delight and pulls on her arm.

The rest of the evening is spent in a similar fashion between the sisters. Catching up on missed time together. Riley learning about the many dates Dakota had been on since she was away, how Connor was the top of his class this year, how Marie had taken up cooking with teens at the community building down the street. It sounded all so mundane but for Riley it was a dream to be so normal.

Riley had to put Dakota to bed, the younger sister trying to keep up with Riley’s newfound drinking ability hadn’t been the best plan. Riley cleared up their mess in the Pit then took herself to bed.

The next morning she was woken up by Connor, who was up and ready to try out the gym like she had promised. Wearing his running shorts, trainers and green t-shirt. Riley threw on a sweatshirt, joggers and trainers before they entered the elevator to go the gym floor.

“Will Bruce be around today?” Connor asked as they stood patiently besides one another. “I really want to ask him some questions about his work, if he isn’t too busy.”

“I’m sure you’ll have chance to. But for now you need to remember people don’t know about your speed. So no just popping out of no where and giving them heart attacks. Two of them are trained killers.” Riley warns Connor. The elevator doors open and Riley leads Connor out.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be on my best behaviour. Promise.” Connor’s smile made Riley return the affection. She led him over to the treadmill that Tony had made enhancements to that Steve usually uses if the weather doesn’t permit him to go out on his usual morning run.

“Right, you can use this whenever you feel the need to get rid of some energy. But always make sure someone’s with you in here. I don’t want you getting hurt or your mom won’t let me hear the end of it.” Riley explained to Connor as he jumped onto the treadmill.

“Be safe. Got it.” Connor replies, stretching his arms and legs out to warm up.

“This should be able to take you at max speed but if it doesn’t then just keep it down. I’ll talk to Tony about a future treadmill that can. Might make it into an experiment for him.” Riley moves back from the treadmill as she mutters to herself.

“Start off slow and build up your speed, see what this thing can take.” Riley told Connor as she heard the elevator ding. Connor started at a gentle jog as Riley turned her head to see Nat and Clint coming into the gym.

“You’re up early.” Clint frowns when he sees Riley.

“Nice to see you too birdbrain.” Riley laughs before turning her attention back to Connor, who had picked up his speed to what would be regular to a normal person’s sprint. “You pair sparring?” Riley calls back to them.

“You going to join in today?” Nat asks as she and Clint walk over to the mats at the far side of the gym.

“Maybe later, keeping an eye on junior.” Riley gestures to Connor. Again he sped up, the treadmill was taking to his speed well but Riley kept herself ready to jump in if something broke.

“So he is an enhanced?” Clint asks, wrapping up his hands. Riley shoots him a glare that would rival that of a bear. Clint put up his hands in surrender having seen he struck a nerve.

“I’m right here.” Connor laughs as he speeds up. “My dad was a mutant, I’m just awesome.” Riley softened slightly at his words. Throughout the short life he has lived so far, it was always reinforced that his power didn’t make him any less than others around him. He wasn’t a freak. He was Connor and he could be anything he wanted to be. So hearing him say something as positive about himself as that made Riley happy. Happy that he didn’t feel like he was different from anyone else, happy that he was embracing his power.

“Good mindset to have kiddo.” Nat smiles at him before she and Clint squared up to one another ready to begin their session.

Riley watched Connor for a while longer, seeing that he wasn’t going to his max speed but keeping up a good rhythm for himself. The grunts and backs hitting against mats sounded through the gym, Clint had the upper hand on Nat for a moment but in her familiar fashion she soon got him down to the floor.

For a while Riley stood keeping an eye on Connor but her mind wandered to Alastair. How was she going to deal with him and protect everyone. How was she going to keep her secret from Tony and Bruce for much longer? They deserved to know, don’t they? Would they understand it wasn’t in her control? How was she going to explain everything to the team at their debrief later this evening?

Connor soon began to slow down and eventually stopped all together. Riley walked over to the mini fridge and got a bottle water for him. She tossed it to him and he caught it, gladly drinking from it.

“Can we go see if nan has done breakfast yet? I’m starving now.” Connor rubs his stomach to emphasise his point.

“Remember that breakfast is being done today you pair. Meaning you get your butts up there or face the wrath of a scary English mama.” Riley calls over her shoulder to the two sparring friends. Nat throws Clint to the floor again before giving Riley a thumbs up.

Riley and Connor walked into the Pit and were greeted with the various smells from the kitchen. Already laid out were dishes of bacon, sausages, beans, eggs – scrambled, fried and poached – and pieces of toast. Mountains of food that looked as good as it smelt. Marie stood with her apron on, hair tied back and sleeves rolled up as she stood over the stove. Riley stopped when she noticed Bruce stood beside her, wearing his usual shirt and jean combo. His sleeves rolled up to his elbow as he smiled at her mother. They talked happily between themselves before Marie turned to place another load of bacon on the kitchen island. She noticed her daughter and grandson and greeted them with a wide smile.

“Good morning lovies. Prepare that table for me, everything is almost ready.” Connor instantly followed the instruction Marie gave, moving to start placing the cutlery onto the table.

“Let me give you a hand.” Bruce wipes his hands on a towel before moving besides Riley as she was picking up the first dish of bacon. Bruce follows her to the table with a dish of sausages.

“Buttering up my mom, Bruce?” Riley teases and places the dish down. Connor rushes past her to collect the glasses to set up. Bruce watches in fascination at the speed the young boy displays. Riley smiles at the surprise in Bruce’s eyes, still not used to seeing the young speedster.

“Was giving her warnings about everyone’s eating habits actually. Does he always move this quick?” Bruce raises an eyebrow at Riley. Said woman chuckles as she continues to set up the table.

“You’ll get used to him.” Riley assures. Soon they had the table set for all nine of them and Marie finished cooking the last of the beans.

“Mom, you’ve really out done yourself.” Riley whistles as she gawks at the amount of food that they laid out. There was more than necessary but with Steve and Riley having the metabolisms of a super soldier and eight foot wolf it seemed to be just right. Not to mention Connor – who could possibly beat Riley’s eating habits.

“The food looks wonderful, Marie. I’m sure it’ll taste just as good. Thank you.” Bruce smiles to the older woman. Marie smiles and shakes her hand dismissively before taking off her apron.

“Well it’s going to get cold if no one turns up. Riley be a dear and get everyone.” Marie looks to her daughter before asking Connor and Bruce to help her get the orange juice ready.

“Jarvis, tell everyone to get their sorry butts down here or I’m going to eat all this food.” Riley calls out as she takes a seat on one side of the table.

“Message has been sent Miss Roberts.” Jarvis’ response makes Marie jump and squeal as she looks confused around herself.

“Who’s there?” She demands holding up a wooden spoon. Connor stepped back from his nan as he laughed. Bruce chuckled softly as he sat next to Riley, placing two jugs of orange juice down on the table.

“Mom its fine.” Riley was struggling not to laugh herself as she spoke. “It’s just Jarvis. He is Tony’s AI in the building. He helps us all. You don’t need to attack anyone with a spoon. Go ahead, ask him anything.” Marie looks uncertain at Riley before her eyes look up to the ceiling. Lowering the spoon, she clears her throat at the embarrassment she feels flush in her cheeks.

“Mr Jarvis, how are you?” Marie spoke with small confidence. Connor had carried another jug of juice to the table and sat opposite Riley and Bruce.

“I am quite well, Mrs Roberts. Please don’t be afraid to ask for assistance in future.” Jarvis replies to Marie and her shoulders relax as she picks up the final jug of juice.

“Good luck with that,” Connor scoffs as he picks up a piece of bacon. “Nan never asks for help unless it’s manual labour.” Marie clips him behind the ear as she places the jug on the table.

“Mouth.” She scolds Connor, taking a seat next to him as the elevator dings. Nat and Clint walk in looking fresh from the showers.

“Sweet Jesus, I’m in heaven.” Clint was partially drooling as his eyes set upon all the food. He took the seat besides Connor and looked to the teen. “Bet I can eat more bacon than you.”

“You’re on.” Connor beamed. Nat rolled her eyes at Clint before addressing Marie.

“This all looks delicious, thank you so much.” She thanks the older woman before seating herself besides Clint.

“Help yourselves, lovelies. Eat as much as you like.” Marie gestures for everyone to begin digging in. Connor wastes no time and piles his first plate full of everything on the dishes. Nat picks out her food whilst Clint mostly picks up bacon for his plate as he sets up his little race with Connor. Marie pours herself some juice and fills the other glasses up before grabbing some toast to begin.

Riley picks her food up using the tongs laid with the dishes. She reaches for the tongs for the closest dish of bacon just as Bruce’s hand reaches as well. Their hands brush against one another, Riley inhales sharply at the soft contact – _did her wolf just fucking purr?_

“Ladies first.” Bruce gestures and smiles at Riley to continue. Riley says a small thanks before plating some bacon and passing the tongs to Bruce.

The elevator dings again and this time Steve and Dakota walk out. Both wearing running gear and laughing at something Steve had said. Riley catches her sister’s eye and grins at her. Dakota sends her a mini glare and signals with her hand to zip it but Riley smiled innocently before turning back to her food. Steve sat at the head of the table with Nat to his left, Dakota took the seat to his right. Leaving the last seat for Tony between the two sisters.

“Where’s Tony?” Riley asks a loud when another few minutes pass and he hasn’t made an appearance. The elevator dings.

“You know how he likes to make an entrance.” Bruce whispers to Riley, causing her laugh. Tony wore a ACDC shirt over a long sleeved shirt, jeans and boots. He held an empty mug as he made his way over to the coffee machine.

“Mind grabbing me one?” Riley calls over to Tony. He groans dramatically before opening one of the top cupboard to get another mug out.

“Riley! Honestly thought I taught you better. Go get it yourself.” Marie scolds her daughter.

“Honestly.” Dakota teases her sister, earning a flick to the ear as Riley walked past her. Tony grinned at Riley as she stood next to him, they backs facing the others while they listened to one another talking about their plans for the day.

“I’m liking your mom more and more.” Tony says as he fills his mug up. Riley glares at him with a smile etched on her lips.

“You just like having someone else to boss me around.” Riley hip bumps Tony, causing him to spill some of the coffee onto the counter. Tony raises an eyebrow at Riley as she gave him the innocent eyes, moving to fill her mug up with coffee. Tony bumps Riley more forcefully as he reaches for a towel to clear up his mess. Riley spilling half the contents of her mug onto the floor.

“Tony!” Riley squeals. Tony laughs when Riley hits him on the shoulder. Their small interaction caught the attention of Bruce, who was being quizzed on basic physics by Connor. Bruce watched the way the two smiled at one another, the closeness between and how Tony’s eyes lingered a little longer when Riley turned around to clear up the coffee on the floor. That’s when the cogs in Bruce’s head began to turn.

_The missing variable._


	10. IMPORTANT

Hi there!

I just wanted to let you all know that I'm currently in the middle of rewriting this story as I feel I went into it without much thought and it shows throughout. I'm working on a better timeline of Riley's life before and after she began a wolf.

I'm also in the middle of my third year at university and currently neck deep in assignments and my dissertation. It's stressful but it is coming together day by day. For all of you that are also in similar places, I wish you all the best and don't give up! You've got this!

I don't plan to take too long with updating this story again because I've wanted to write something like this for a while. I should hopefully have two chapters and the prologue rewrote by the end of the month.

I'm sorry if this drives you away from this story but thank you for your patience.

~ Casper ~ 


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